Skip to main content
I’m Michael Forrester. This lesson explains how to prepare for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam after you finish the training. Follow these practical, focused steps so the concepts from the course are ready for recall during the 65-question exam. The guidance emphasizes targeted practice, scenario-based design review, and where to get help if you still feel unsure. There are three main steps to focus on.
  1. Retake and review the practice mock exam until you consistently score 95% (or at least understand every mistake)
  • Make the practice mock exam your immediate priority after finishing the course.
  • Retake the mock exam until you can reliably hit a 95% score. If you score lower (for example, 85%), identify exactly which questions you missed and why.
  • Understanding why an answer is wrong is as important as knowing why the correct one is right. This exposes gaps in either factual knowledge or exam-style reasoning that you should correct.
  • For recurring mistakes, review the specific topic until your mental model matches AWS behavior and best practices. For example, if your mental model of storage or networking features is incorrect, correct it using official documentation and re-test yourself until the misunderstanding is resolved.
  1. Revisit the scenario-based design sections (not just the short quizzes)
  • Spend additional time on the full scenario-based design sections, especially scenario-focused lessons. These contain multiple exam-style questions that emphasize architecture attributes like security, reliability, performance, and cost optimization, and show how those attributes interact across services.
  • Don’t limit your review to the final quizzes — go through the complete scenario sections. If time is limited and you already perform well on end-of-section quizzes, at minimum re-do those quizzes and review the comprehensive design challenge (pay attention to VPC setup and service placement).
Here’s an example of the types of scenario questions you’ll see in Design for X.
An infographic presenting a multiple-choice scenario: a retail company deploying an e-commerce app on AWS that must securely segregate the application and database layers. Four numbered options propose different VPC/subnet and security group/NACL configurations (default VPC, new VPC with multiple subnets, single subnet, or public app + private DB).
Scenario summary: a retail company deploys an e-commerce application on AWS to handle customer transactions and store sensitive data. The requirement is to follow best practices for security by segregating the application/business logic from the database layer to minimize unauthorized access. What does AWS recommend for segmenting database layers from application layers?
  • The exam-aligned approach is isolation and segmentation inside the same VPC: design an appropriately sized VPC and use multiple subnets to separate the application layer and the database layer, and apply appropriate security controls (security groups, NACLs, and route table rules) to each subnet.
  • You could place services in separate VPCs, but that generally adds unnecessary complexity for this use case. The typical pattern is private subnets for databases and application tiers, with a public subnet only where required (for example, a public-facing web tier).
Another related example demonstrates how a small change in the scenario (for example, adding a web tier) can change the correct answer.
An illustrated multiple-choice question about deploying a multi-tier e-commerce application on AWS, asking how to ensure secure connectivity between web, application, and database tiers inside a VPC. Four numbered options list different subnet and security configurations (public/private subnets, security groups, route tables/NACLs, Internet Gateway).
In this variation, the web tier must be publicly reachable while the application and database tiers remain private. A correct design places the web tier in a public subnet (with tightly scoped security group rules) and the application/database tiers in private subnets. Small scenario differences — a public-facing component or a subtle phrase — often determine which architecture is appropriate on the exam. You’ll also see reference diagrams similar to the one below in the scenario-based design sections. These visuals help you understand multi-AZ and public/private subnet patterns, NAT gateways, VPC Endpoints, route tables, and how security controls are applied.
A network architecture diagram of an AWS Cloud account showing a Region with a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) split across availability zones containing public and private subnets, NAT gateways, internet/egress-only gateways, NACLs, resolvers, instances and security groups. It also includes services and components like Elastic Load Balancers, VPC Endpoints, Amazon Route 53 and S3 with example CIDR blocks.
  1. If you’re still unsure, ask for help — join the Slack channel and talk to a coach
  • If you’ve completed the training, repeatedly practiced the mock exam, and reviewed the scenario-based design sections but still lack confidence, reach out for personalized coaching.
  • Join the AWS Cloud Forum on https://kodekloud.slack.com. Both Sanjeev Thyagarajan and I (Michael Forrester) monitor that Slack workspace. We can usually assess your readiness with a few targeted questions and point out any weak domains (for example, machine learning or networking).
  • We’ve coached many students to pass the Solutions Architect exam and are happy to review mistakes, ask targeted diagnostic questions, and help you build confidence.
If you need coaching, post in the AWS Cloud Forum on https://kodekloud.slack.com. If we don’t respond immediately, leave a message — we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Quick study checklist Summary and next steps
  • Keep taking the included mock exam until you consistently reach a 95% score. This rehearsal builds exam-style thinking and exposes common pitfalls.
  • Revisit the scenario-based design sections for deeper architectural understanding; focus on differences introduced by small scenario changes (e.g., a requirement for a public-facing tier).
  • Use the Slack forum (https://kodekloud.slack.com) to request coach help if you remain uncertain.
Once you feel confident, schedule the exam, take it, pass, and celebrate. We’re here to support you and celebrate your success. I’m Michael Forrester. Thanks for reading this Preparing for the Real Exam lesson. Links and references

Watch Video